‘Chess is a timeless game of strategy and intellect’

There is a saying in Japanese – that sooner or later you will encounter your Ikigai which will fill your life with a productive purpose giving it a 360-degree flip.

And when Ikigai came alive in this young lad’s life, he found his invincible camaraderie with chess. Meet Riyansh Dwivedi, a class IV student at Apeejay School, Kharghar, who proclaims that this sport has helped him in opening gambits of intricate mid-game manoeuvers and fuelled his tactical prowess.

“I developed an interest in chess during friendly matches with my father. He explained to me the deep nuances of the game along with its rules,” shared the 10-year-old.

Holding numerous accolades, he has achieved significant recognition in the chess community. Notably, he received an award from World Champion Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand and Grand Master Abhijit Kunte at the Rotary Thane Midtown FIDE-rated tournament on August 15, 2023. Furthermore, he secured first place at the Indian Chess School tournament held at the Russian Centre, among other prestigious achievements.

“As a sport, chess fosters cognitive skills, patience, and strategic thinking. Beyond its competitive nature, chess serves as a universal language, bringing people together in a shared pursuit of mental mastery,” he shared and added that he often found himself perplexed during the tournament when the time was limited and he had to quickly calculate a lot of variations in his game.

Aspiring to become a Grandmaster in chess, Riyansh knows he has miles to go before that and credits his sole inspiration to his father. “I am only 10 but yes, I want to become the next Viswanathan Anand in my country,” he said.

His daily routine never ends without giving time to chess. “I come back home around 3 pm from school and after winding up my homework and lunch, I devote two to three hours to the game, practicing every move and devising all possible strategies,” shared Riyansh.

“I have been blessed with extremely supportive parents and my father has always pushed me towards this game and helped me hone my game skills by arranging professional training,” he added.

Riyansh also said that whenever he is participating in tournaments, his teachers from Apeejay are his constant audience and cheerleaders. “I feel so elated to see my teachers during my matches and that always adds an extra ounce of josh to my performance.”

Last but not least, Riyansh added that chess is a timeless game of strategy and intellect, which transcends cultural and geographical boundaries. He closes the conversation by adding that puran poli is his favourite dish.